The Dreaming
by Unnamed.in.whispers
Summary: Claudia is having nightmares after starting her work tracking the anomalies and being hunted by monsters. There's only one man that can take her mind off it. Prof.Nick Cutter just wants her safe.


**Title:** The Dreaming **Pairing:** Nick/Claudia

**Series:** Primeval **Rating:** 18 **Type:** UST

**Summary:** Claudia is having nightmares after starting her work tracking the anomalies and being hunted by monsters. There's only one man that can take her mind off it. Cutter just wants her safe.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Primeval characters or anything from the universe of Primeval. I am just taking the characters and playing with them a while – promising to restore them whole and unblemished! Thanks to Impossible Pictures for creating these toys for me to enjoy. Please don't take any of my playing as having any bearing on the actual series. Enjoy.

()

A long sigh escaped her as Claudia sank into the deep, hot bath. It had been a stressful day and she felt as though she had earned the luxury of a steaming bath with fruity wine and rich creamy chocolate.

Almost being eaten by a hoard of ravenous, flesh-eating dinosaurs was enough to put a strain on even the most reasonable public servant.

The only thing that could make this better was someone the opposite side of the bubbles, she mused, sinking further in the water; preferably someone tall, Scottish and slightly ginger.

She couldn't help a laugh escape her lips. Who would believe that she was almost thirty and harbouring a school-girl crush?

Claudias mind wandered back to the morning's assignment. Nick had done his best to save her, even risking his own life. But, as she replayed the events, she found her thoughts centred on the kiss Nick had stolen before he ran to find help.

She hadn't expected it, but the feel of his lips on hers was warm and tender... and over far too quickly.

Moaning, Claudia's eyes fell shut and she sank beneath the water.

In the blackness she saw shapes... shadows moving against the darkness of her closed eyes... swarming closer, attracted by blood and hunger. Wings slapped the air, shrieks pierced her ears... and then there were teeth...

The water broke, swelling over the bath as Claudia gasped a lung-full of air.

Perhaps the dark water wasn't what she needed right now.

Almost in answer to her thoughts, a knock at the door echoed up the stairwell.

This time the moan was frustration, rather than pleasure. But the incessant knock sounded again.

"Be right there." She called automatically before swearing to herself. _So much for a relaxing evening._

Scrambling out the bath, she caught hold of the nearest towel and rushed to the door.

Thinking dark thoughts about cold-callers, Claudia opened the door with her usual riff, "Whatever you're selling, product or religion, I am really not..."

There on her door step stood Nick Cutter, his mouth lax as his eyes roamed over Claudia's towel-clad form.

Her hair, wet and tangled, fell to her shoulders as she gripped the bath sheet closer to her otherwise naked body.

Nick stood, haloed in streetlight; his smile falling into a look of wonder as his topaz eyes glinted and he tried to form words.

She wasn't sure who was the more speechless.

"Nick," she whispered.

It seemed to kick-start his thought process, "Claudia Brown." He said the name as a caress and then moved closer to her as though shielding her from the eyes of passers-by.

"What are you doing here?"

He blinked, reaching out to touch a finger to her collar bone.

Claudia tried to ignore the rush of electricity that flushed through her as his flesh brushed hers.

Nick took a breath to steady himself before pulling away slightly to show the water droplet he had caught falling from Claudia's hair. He smiled.

Claudia didn't trust her voice to say anything, so she waited.

"Aren't you cold?" He asked.

She had to admit she was… so she stepped aside to allow him access.

The living room was much warmer when Claudia rejoined Nick. Now fully clothed in comfy joggers and a big t-shirt, Claudia walked in to find him handing her a glass of wine.

"Was this right?" He asked, remembering her request to fix them both a drink, "I thought you had said you had a fondness of this wine."

"I didn't think..."

"I brought it." He smiled, "Though I usually drink scotch."

"Naturally," she smiled. "Everyone likes a stereotype."

They clinked glassed and sipped wine in unison before she found the situation far too bizarre... "Nick, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to check you were alright," he said in earnest. "You've been through a lot today."

"You're telling me," she agreed, remembering the massive pteranodon as it swooped and knocked her unconscious... then waking with no vision to find a swarm of prehistoric, flying piranha hunting her through the afternoon; she took a larger gulp of the wine than necessary.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, somehow having managed to get closer without her noticing.

"I'm fine," she lied.

He knew. "What is it?" He asked; brows pulling together, lips puckering as his eyes searched hers.

The look was intense. Claudia felt her resolve falter, "I think that having my sight taken away and being attacked entitles me to be a little shaken." She laughed, placing her drink on the mantelpiece.

To her horror, she noticed her hand shaking and quickly moved to cover it with the other. "Damn," she mumbled, ashamed at the lack of control. Claudia had never been weak, nor did she intend to show frailty so openly.

"It's shock," Nick told her, moving to hold her hands in his. "It's natural."

Feeling her nostrils flare, Claudia tried to ignore the sensation that she was a victim being comforted. Her shoulders rolled back, forcing her head up, though her eyes evaded his.

"I know. It's embarrassing."

His thumb on her chin tilted and rolled her head until their eyes met. "You're the strongest woman I know." Nick said, his other hand moving up her arm to strengthen her shoulder, "And I want you to know that you don't have to be alone anymore."

Processing his words made them no easier to accept. So she needed... "What are you talking about?"

She asked the question as lightly as possible, but the weight of implications hung in the air.

"Talk to me," he said, just as lightly, fixing her with soft ocean eyes, "I want to be here for you."

"Ever the white knight," she smirked, noticing that he had not dropped his hand from her shoulder, or released the grip on her chin. "I appreciate that Nick."

"Claudia." He sighed, voice thick, "It's not such a bad thing to admit you were frightened. You wouldn't believe how afraid I was that I had lost you today."

"But you didn't lose me, Nick," she said, finally meeting his gaze.

"Don't you think I have finally got that through my thick hide?" He asked, slipping the hand from her shoulder round her back.

"And just when I thought you were becoming a romantic," Claudia swooned, fluttering her eyes against the heat of his skin on hers, his breath on her face

His laugh brought their bodies closer, moving them together in a way that sparked and made Nick inhale sharply.

The need between them was almost painful, but she would not bow to emotion. This move had to be his.

And it was.

Nicks warm fingers spread across her neck and pulled her to him lightly; asking rather than dominating.

And she accepted, gliding into him gracefully as their lips met.

It was as sweet as the first kiss this morning, at once calm and reassuring before they quickened and realised that both were accepting and needy.

Nick broke first, bubbling smaller kisses from Claudia's mouth down her jaw and over the pulse-point in her neck, his hands keeping her close and his tongue making her writhe with heat as she strained to meet his passion.

"I thought I had lost you today," he said between bites and breaths, "I can't lose you again Claudia. You just tell me and I am yours."

"Nick... I don't know," she gasped as his teeth grazed the heated skin of her collar.

He pulled away then, breathless and ruffled, "Right." He said, "I'm sorry."

Then he quickly moved away, leaving her cold and confused, "What?"

"Why would you want a burned-out university professor," he said quickly, rummaging around the living room to find his coat, "almost a decade your senior who hasn't been with a woman for eight years since his manipulative ex-wife left him to chase anomalies that lead to prehistoric monsters?" He shrugged on the jacket adding, "Talk about baggage."

"Nick," she said, moving toward him as he jumped back.

"No, Claudia." He insisted, freezing her in place. "I took advantage, not just today in the hotel but right here in your own home!" A look of disgust fell across his features, "You deserve so much more."

Then he was heading for the door.

Claudia moved quickly to block him, reaching the door and slamming it shut, bracing her back against the wood and reaching up to place her palms on the man's chest as his startled eyes met hers.

"I don't want you to go." She insisted, watching Nicks shocked expression closely. "What I was trying to say, before you stopped doing that thing... with your tongue; which was amazing, by the way..."

He blushed slightly, but remained silent.

"I said I don't know..."

"I want you to be certain," he said, covering her hands on his chest with his own so she could feel his heart pounding steadily, "I don't think I could take it if you..."

"Nick!" She interrupted, "Let me finish."

The professors mouth clamped shut.

"I was saying that I don't know what brought you here tonight, but I am glad."

Hope bloomed in Nicks eyes, "Glad." He whispered, moving closer.

"I didn't want to be alone," she continued, pushing her hands up his chest and locking them behind his neck. "And you know who I was hoping I could be with?"

"Stephen?" Nick huffed, smiling slightly before frowning, "Sorry. Inappropriate humour in the face of unbearable tension is kind-of my-"

Claudia stretched up and claimed his babbling lips, feeling them still a moment before they shifted and moved to press warmth into hers. Another moment and his tongue pushed for her to open and she did; letting him trace the outline of her mouth and the roof as she moved to twist her tongue into his mouth and caress him equally.

Nick moaned, moving his body to push her against the door. He tasted of heat and sweet spices...

Claudia gasped, pulling back slightly and letting her teeth graze his lower lip.

Growling, Nick moved impossibly close, pressing her high on the door, bracing her thigh on his hip.

Claudia was stunned at his forcefulness, and highly aroused as she climbed higher on his frame and plunged back into the passionate kiss they had broken too soon.

Her back arched into the embrace, sliding their hips together and earning a grunt from Nick as he thrust back with equal force.

Every inch of her was alert and she moved again, breaking their kiss to gulp in much needed air. It didn't stop Nick as he moved back to her neck mumbling, "I think you liked this," nibbling and biting at the overheated skin.

Claudia couldn't help her hips buck and Nick pulsed in response as they fell into an awkward rock, back and forth, Nicks excitement evident through the thin materials separating them as they moved closer together, tighter and harder.

Even admitting it had been a while didn't describe how this motion was affecting her... Claudia was in ecstasy as Nick hit all the right spots, crashing their bodies together in growing rhythm as their skin warmed, flushing and tingling with sensation.

Pretty soon they were panting in unison, their rocking becoming more urgent... and then she was lightheaded, letting her body take over and griping Nick to her as they shuddered toward the end.

Claudia flushed, pushing down on Nick at the last as he threw his head back and moaned before resting his forehead on her shoulder.

They were still for a moment, processing what they had shared. Then Nick let her drop lightly to the floor.

"Sorry about that..." he murmured into her hair, keeping her caged in his arms; her back against the cooling door. "I can't believe I just did that."

She heard what he said in the hazy aftermath, but couldn't quite believe it... "What?"

"Well..." he said shakily, taking a step back, "I always pictured roses, a fireplace, some castle somewhere..."

"Romantic," she smiled, kissing his cheek, wishing he would look at her.

"But I just dry-humped you against the door," chagrin coloured his words and stained his cheeks, "like a bloody teenager."

"Felt pretty good to me," Claudia laughed, ducking to meet Nicks eyes. "And if you would prefer to try it again, properly this time, we should really move away from the hallway."

The professors sapphire eyes finally looked into her, widening in surprise. "You mean... even after that..."

"Well, I think we have to lay some ground-rules... like, work is work and this won't interfere with it. But I am happy to research this development in our relationship, professor." Claudia gave him a flirtatious smile.

Nick was astounded, "You aren't just saying that to make me feel better?"

Claudia sighed; this man was truly impossible! "How can I convince you to come and have a drink with me?" She wondered aloud, moving into the space of his arms, shifting her hands to his jacket and working on the buttons... "Perhaps if you acknowledge that we were both enjoying ourselves here we can agree to give this night a shot and see how we fare?"

Nick let her push his coat away then moved his hands into her hair. "You liked that?"

"Mmmm," Claudia continued to muse, gently placing her palms on his shoulders and urging him toward the living room. "You seem anxious, but I don't think you realise that you make quite the compelling argument."

He let her move him, still somewhat bemused by her forgiveness of the embarrassing moments in the doorway. "There was an argument?"

"Well, not really. But I have been waiting for you to make the suggestion for some time." Claudia said; closing the living room door and setting them back at the fireplace. "And you finally did with exquisite skill."

Nick blushed slightly, reaching out to take her face in his hand, "You mean, you..."

"Certainly did." She smiled, the grin overtaking her quicker than she expected.

His eyes melted with deep affection as his other hand came up to hold her face, "You are so beautiful."

A deep warmth tingled from her heart and out through her chest, "Not too bad looking yourself."

So he pressed his lips to hers, sedately, a hand falling to her shoulder as she pressed forward to restrain the action, "Let's take this one slowly." He suggested.

And they did.

Finding their wine and sitting on the sofa opposite the fire; they talked for hours, gently touching each others arm or leg, learning the others past, their hopes and the touch of their skin. Sometimes taking the others hand or delivering a small kiss, they found there was no longer space between their bodies and Claudia had folded her frame into his.

"So... it's getting late." Claudia said, yawning.

Nick almost laughed, "Yeah," he said, shifting out from his space behind her, "I'll take the hint."

"What hint?" She asked, twisting and pressing him back into the sofa.

"Well," Nick gulped, "that the night is drawing to a close and I should go..."

"I didn't say that." Claudia grinned, reaching up to press her lips to his. "I just meant that it was getting late and, now we know each other better, we had agreed to try something again..."

"Claudia," he protested meekly as she moved into his arms.

"Nick," she began, wondering what he would say, "I'm not particularly in the mood for sleeping right now..." it wasn't too far from the truth... she didn't really want to close her eyes...

"Are you..?" He began, "I mean... do you..."

Claudia moved, pressing her lips to his and stopping his thought in its tracks. Her tongue swiped out between Nick's lips and pushed up to slowly explore the roof of his mouth before she circled his tongue and sucked it into her mouth.

Nick jolted into action, reaching out and lifting Claudia onto his lap, pressing his wide hands into the arc her back and bringing them closer.

Claudia raked her hands into his hair as Nick reversed control of the kiss, battling with Claudia until they were both breathless and heaving.

"I don't want to be alone tonight," Claudia found herself saying as the professor busied himself by showering kisses down her jaw and suckling her neck.

"I'm not going anywhere." Nick affirmed between nibbles, "not if you don't want me to."

Ripping free of his embrace, Claudia staggered back, taking his hands with her and pulling him up from the sofa and into her arms.

Nick faltered, pushing them back to the fireplace before kissing her again.

Claudia closed her eyes and felt his lips fall back to her heck as her heart thudded against her chest. She tried to ignore the echo as the sound of her pulse raced like footsteps fleeing... through the night... through the forest...

She was back in Dean. Back with the Gorgonopsid as it stalked her through the trees

Claudias eyes snapped open, her hands roughly shoving Nick away.

The professor gulped in air and locked surprised sapphire eyes on hers... "Claudia..."

"Do you have protection?" She asked quickly, trying to ignore his concern.

The expression melted immediately. "I... er... I ..."

Rolling her eyes, Claudia seized his hand and dragged the man behind her to the stairs, curling his fingers about her waist and securing him there.

She was still shaken and desperate for his touch, for the reassurance of his kiss as she reached around and pulled his lips to hers.

His hands slipped up and spread across her ribs as she held him in place with a hungry kiss. His fingertips tentatively reached her bra, tracing the elastic and unhooking the fastening.

Claudia gasped and twisted in his arms, reaching up and kissing him again; she moved from his lips to his jaw, raking her nails down his chest to hear his hiss. Her fingers found the small buttons on his shirt, impatiently popping them as she wrenched the material away.

"That was a nice shirt," he protested mildly.

"It was a hideous shirt Nick," Claudia countered, spreading her hands over his bare chest, "truth be told, I've been hoping to rip that top off you for hours."

He smirked, "Only hours?" Then he kissed her, "I have you beat then." His hands brushed under and up her t-shirt, rolling it over her head.

"I wondered why you kept asking for my clothes today." She smiled, "talk about subconscious desire..."

Claudia shrugged off the shirt and moved back into his arms in time for him to deliver another breathtaking kiss... "There is nothing subconscious about my desire for you."

Claudia couldn't help the smile that spread through her as Nick bent and swooped her off her feet. "I knew you were a romantic."

A slight smile played at the corner of his lips. "Where to?"

Biting her lip, Claudia motioned up the stair with her eyes and tightened her grip when he moved, holding him closely and tracing lazy patterns into the skin of his chest.

They were in her room before she had realised... Nick laying her on the bed with such care.

Then he was joining her, his warm hand framing her face, his body moulding to her side as his lips sought hers. Claudia was consumed; her eyes fell closed once more as she tumbled into the dark pleasure of colour and light as Nick caressed her and she gave over to sensation... the colours swirled into hues of blues and greens... greens like the eyes of Nick Cutter, her colleague and now lover.

Light fields rolled with depth and emotion until she reached a horizon...

The joy of green snapped to cold blue... corrupted by a parasite...

The parasite that took over and killed Tom.

The creature within Nick smiled, the gesture twisting into a visage of evil as Claudia writhed beneath him, absolute pleasure in each touch...

Then the touches became sharper, more hurtful, less joy and more pain...

Her eyes snapped open, breath gushing into her lungs as she pushed the man away...

"Claudia?" He questioned, hurt showing plainly in his eyes: and the illusion cleared. He was, once more, her professor. Her loving, passionate Nick:

She flipped forward, pressing Nick against the base of the bed before claiming his mouth and scrabbling at the fastening of his chords.

His wide green eyes met hers in a flash panic.

Claudia felt a rush of anticipation as she looked down at the man. From here, she could do anything. She wanted, desperately, to say something coy or teasing but nothing came to the fore.

Instead, she found that she was stroking his cheek, feeling the blunt spikes of stubble against her skin. "I'm glad you're here with me tonight, Nick."

The professors eyes melted, he inhaled and brought his arms around her, guiding Claudia down to a long, luxurious kiss.

There was no darkness here; only warmth and the rising flame that tingled over her skin. She knew that her professor would not leave her to the nightmares and, she knew, he would love her.

And he did.

Covering her body with his own, Nick was a shield to the night that filled her vision, heated her body and touched her soul, every move he made sparked a deep, pulsing pleasure as he worshiped the feeling of her silken skin beneath his touch and he whispered of how many times he had admired and how much he loved her.

The night was on fire and Claudia watched each fragment of her life pull apart and glow in the reflection of adoration, contentment and bliss. It was a thousand times more powerful than any anomaly and more beautiful at that.

She chose in that moment, when their bodies were joined and their blood rushed flame, that they would never be parted.

Time itself could rip open and swallow them whole, she didn't care.

Let it try.

Before her eyes, the porthole emerged, menacingly beautiful and glistening before her. The shards of light washed over her life and began devouring it for daring to challenge the primal force of time itself.

She cried out as Nick moved within her and they came to rest on the gaping edge of the abyss time had created from her life and at the last... she was consumed.

()

In peaceful darkness, there was a glimmer. Warm pink light filtered through her perception as Claudia rose from sleep and blinked against the day.

She had survived the night.

Something in her had changed. She felt the absence of her other and reached across to find Nick was gone... a crumpled note lay in his place. He had gone to work and couldn't bear to waken her.

Perhaps she was wrong about last night. Perhaps it might be better if they went back to professionalism...

Perhaps, for now, she should just have a shower.

An hour later she watched him batting a golf ball about his university office with the aged hip-bone of a something-a-saurus and saw his shot plop into a propped mug.

"Shot," she said, unable to help herself.

A self-satisfied smile crossed Nicks lips as he flicked the home-made putter over his shoulder.

Claudia did her best to control the butterflies in her stomach and took a breath. _Professional, _she reminded herself. For now, it was about work.

Later, it could be about them.

After all, they had all the time in the world...

Didn't they?


End file.
